This invention relates generally to the field of systems designed to immediately capture or secure a torn paper web unwinding from a spool or roll in a large paper processing apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to such devices that secure the torn end of the paper web onto the rotating paper roll.
In paper processing systems, such as in paper manufacturing, treating, printing or the like, large rolls or spools of paper weighing many thousands of pounds are used to deliver the paper web into the processing system. These spools may be ten, twenty or more feet in width, and unwind at high speeds. Often, a break occurs in the paper web during the unwinding process. Because the rolls are unwinding at high speed, hundreds of feet of paper weighing hundreds of pounds may unwind in an uncontrolled manner prior to shut down of the paper roll feeding mechanism. This uncontrolled paper discharge may damage or foul the equipment, and extensive time and effort is required to remove and dispose of the waste.
A number of systems have been developed to address this problem. Examples are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,485 to Nawrath, U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,765 to Keilhau, U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,371 to Kotterer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,092 to Werner et al., and German Published Application DE 10195714T TO Heikki.
It is an object of this invention to provide a torn paper web capture system that quickly secures the loose end of the paper web to the rotating spool that is patentably distinct and/or an improvement over the known systems.